The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced that U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker was fired on Tuesday.
Parker has been the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio since November 2021.
Parker was nominated by former President Joe Biden, and the nomination was approved unanimously by the United States Senate.
It is not uncommon for US Attorneys to leave when the administration changes, but the district did not explain why Parker was fired.
Kelly Norris, First Assistant US Attorney, will serve as Acting US Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
“It has been my great honour to serve the people of the Southern District of Ohio as United States Attorney. “There is no better feeling than coming to work every day knowing that I, along with all of the prosecutors, trial attorneys, and staff, are working to protect the public’s rights, safety, and interests with excellence and integrity,” Parker said.
During his tenure as US Attorney, Parker focused on efforts to protect vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children.
“Under his leadership, the District created a civil rights referral initiative for members of the public to report potential civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, hosted a roundtable to combat sexual harassment in housing, and established three annual community and law enforcement awards programs,” the office said in a statement.
Parker has led several cases involving violent crimes, drug trafficking, civil rights violations, hate crimes, child exploitation, public corruption, and fraud schemes in the Miami Valley.
“I thank President Joseph Biden and Senators Sherrod Brown and Robert Portman for this incredible opportunity to serve. My heartfelt appreciation goes to my entire office, as well as our many law enforcement and community partners, who are still dedicated public servants.
We’ve accomplished a lot together, and I’m confident that the people of the Southern District of Ohio will continue to benefit from our collaboration,” Parker said.
The Southern District of Ohio serves over 5 million people across 48 Ohio counties, with offices in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton.
